22 



The Garden Magazine, August, 1919 



Malus glaucescens forms a small tree seldom exceeding 12 to 

 1 5 feet in height with spreading tortuous branches, whereas 

 the Garland Crabapple forms a handsome round headed 

 tree 25 ft. tall. The leaves of M. glaucescens are usually 

 triangular-ovate, with a broad base, and often cordate; 

 glaucous beneath, and smooth at maturity. The unfolding 

 flowers are reddish pink, but pinkish white and strongly fra- 

 grant when fully open. The clusters are 4 to 6 flowered, and 

 are borne in such profusion that a small tree or large bush is 

 most attractive. All American Crabapples, east of the 

 Rocky Mountains, are distinguished by a glutinous skin which 

 is greenish yellow when fully ripe and very fragrant. 



Malus coronarius has much more elongated leaves, and less 

 lobed. and they are not pale glaucous beneath. The showy 

 flowers are rosy white in clusters of 4 to 6, and very fragrant. 

 The flowers open 4 to 5 days later thanthose of Malus glauces- 

 cens, and the fruits ripen ten days to two weeks later. A 

 form of the Garland Crab distinguished by narrower elon- 

 gated leaves deeply incised and deeply rose-pink blossoms 

 is variety elongata. In a wild state it appears to be much 

 lower growing than the type. 



THE most commonly cultivated of all the Japanese 

 Crabapples is probably Malus pulcherrima, or flori- 

 bunda to use its very popular name, long sold by nurserymen 

 under the name of Pyrus floribunda. It forms a bold, round 

 and somewhat flat topped head. It produces an extraor- 

 dinary abundance of 5 to 6 flowered clusters of rose tinted 

 blossoms on long slender stalks, and a well developed in- 

 dividual is completely wreathed in flowers in early May. 

 The fruits are slightly larger than a pea, reddish yellow, and 

 quite decorative. I have raised a number of seedlings from 

 this Crabapple, but the progeny shows such diversity from 

 the parent that I am of the opinion that the plant is of hybrid 

 origin. What is usually called a variety of this although that 

 is questionable (sold in many catalogues under the name of 

 Malus or Pyrus atrosanguinea), is a singularly handsome 

 flowering form. The flower clusters are coral red when 

 unfolding, and are deeply pinkish red when fully open. It 

 forms a very ornamental round spreading head and is one of 

 the most beautiful of the family. 



A glorified form, doubtless of hybrid origin, was detected 

 at the Arnold Arboretum among seedlings of Malus pulcher- 

 rima and has been named M. Arnoldiana. The branching is 

 spreading and intricate. It is remarkably floriferous and 

 bears clusters of 4 to 6 flowers which are red when unfolding, 

 deeply rose tinted when open, and much larger than the 

 flowers of the parent. This is a remarkably beautiful flower- 

 ing tree. 



PROBABLY the first Asiatic Crabapple ever in cultiva- 

 tion in this country or Europe was the Chinese Crab- 

 • tpple (Malus spectabilis). It appears to have been in cultiva- 

 tion in Britain in the 18th century. There is a handsome 

 individual in a garden in the outskirts of Rochester that is 

 perhaps 60 years old. The growth is distinctly upright, and 

 can be distinguished from most Crabs by its branching habit. 

 The flower clusters are particularly showy when opening, and 

 are deep reddish-pink. There are several forms of this Crab- 

 apple in which the flowers range from semi-double to double, 

 and I have never seen a single flowered form. 



LOWEST growing of all the Crabs is Malus Sargenti. 

 It has a spreading, compact, shrubby habit, and does not 

 exceed 8 to 10 ft. in height. The large pure white flowers are 

 borne in clusters of 5 to 6 on long slender stalks, and are pro- 

 duced in prodigal profusion and bloom from May 15th to 

 20th. The small reddish, roundish fruits are very showy in 

 the autumn. Another small growing Crabapple occasionally 

 becoming a small tree is Malus Sieboldii or toringo. The 

 leaves of this species are small as compared with other Crabs, 

 and are usually oblong in outline and often slightly lobed. 

 The blossoms are slightly rose tinted, appearing about May 

 15th. The fruits are small, usually about the size of peas. 



Malus Zumi is a thin branching small tree, with the branches 

 partly spreading but mostly upright, with their ends some- 

 what remote from each other. On vigorous shoots the leaves 

 are occasionally lobed. The large white flowers sometimes 

 with a blush tinge, borne on long stalks in usually five 

 flowered clusters, look very effective on the long, slender 

 branches, and are commonly in bloom about May 15th. 

 The small, yellowish colored fruits are noticeable in the 

 autumn. 



THE Siberian Crab (Malus baccata) has a distinctly 

 round head, and after 20 to 30 years makes a handsome 

 tree. It has very distinctive leaves larger than in most Crabs, 

 ovate to lanceolate in outline, deep green and smooth. The 

 flowers are borne on long slender stalks, 1 1 inches long, 

 and in clusters of 5 to 6, pure white, and frequently if inches 

 across. In the average season it blossoms about May 15th. 

 The Siberian Crab is distinguished by a good many varieties, 

 in which the fruit varies considerably, but as an ornamental 

 flowering tree the typical form is perhaps as good as any. 



Malus Halliana forms a small tortuous branched tree, with 

 very smooth ashy gray bark. The deep green smooth 

 leaves, pale beneath, taper at both ends, and are very distinc- 

 tive. The flowers are richly rose colored, on long dark stalks, 

 and 3 to 5 to a cluster. The calyx is dark purplish red. This 

 is perhaps one of the most beautiful of the Crabs in its richly 

 tinted blossoms. Normally it is in flower about May 20th. 

 The popular Parkman's Crab is a double flowered form of 

 this. 



IN A native of the Caucasus and Siberia (Malus Niedz- 

 wetzkyana, which has been with us for nearly 20 years) 

 is a tree of spreading tortuous habit, much like an ordinary 

 apple tree with deep reddish pink flowers in clusters of 5 

 to 7, conspicuous at a long distance. There is no Crab- 

 apple that approaches it in the reddish color of the flowers, 

 and the fruit is almost the size of an ordinary apple and has a 

 red skin, indeed red runs all through the plant which is 

 therefore easily distinguished. The wood and bark are 

 colored red and the veins of the leaves are deeply impressed 

 with red. In a normal season it blooms about May 18th. 



Malus prunifolia is a much discussed tree among botanists, 

 some considering it a hybrid, and others believing it to be a 

 true species. For my part I will pass an opinion when my 

 seedlings have borne flowers and fruits. It certainly is dis- 

 tinct in character. The branching is distinctly upright, form- 

 ing a compact oblong head. The leaves bear a strong re- 

 semblance to the Siberian Crab. The rose-tinted flowers 

 are borne on short-stalked clusters and it is usually in bloom 



